Performance Librarian

Hours

The open hours for the performance library vary by week. The hours are posted each week in several locations at 8 The Fenway and in 132 Ipswich, as well as on the Library's Facebook page. The Performance Library is closed during the summer.

Collection Description

The performance library contains the music used by the various choral groups, orchestra, wind ensemble, brass ensemble, and other large chamber ensembles of The Boston Conservatory.

Collection Usage Policies

The Performance Librarian and her assistants are responsible for the distribution and collection of all music. Music will normally be available two weeks prior to the first rehearsal and can be picked up in the library space at 132 Ipwsich Street, Room 217. Library hours vary but are clearly posted on the large ensemble board at the beginning of the week. Check the Library's Facebook page for updates on music availability. You must pick up your own music before the first rehearsal. Students will not be allowed to pick up music for another student. At the end of the final concert, please leave your music on the stand or put it in the library box after the performance is finished. String players who have an extra set of parts must return them at the concert as well.

For those students who do not return their music at the final concert, music must be returned to the library within three days after each performance.

Beginning on the fourth day, there will be a $1 fine for each day an item is overdue with a maximum fine of $15.

Additionally, you will receive notification that a replacement charge of $50 per piece has also been added to your tuition bill. If you return the material by the last day of classes for that semester, this charge will be reversed on TBC owned materials only, but not on rental materials. The $15 overdue fine will be charged in either event, and cannot be removed.

Since all our parts are for the exclusive use of The Boston Conservatory ensembles, our collection is non-circulating. We cannot lend to any outside groups.

Students, alumni, faculty and staff in need of orchestral practice parts can email requests for copies at perflib@bostonconservatory.edu during the academic year. The request must be sent to the Performance Librarian, in email, requesting the specific practice parts (example: Don Juan, violin 1, full part). Copy requests take up to one week and cannot be rushed. Copies are $0.05/page and need to be paid in cash, in exact change, once the copies are complete. If a large number of copies are requested, the photocopies may take longer than one week to prepare.

In cases of bad page turns in your individual part, you are personally responsible for alleviating the situation by making a photocopy. The librarian is not responsible for this particular issue. Please be sure to incorporate this aspect of planning into your preparation, and to have a solution for your page turn problem in place before the first rehearsal. Furthermore, we cannot copy parts for ensembles to play from in rehearsals.

Choral Music Policy

The Performance Librarian and her assistants are responsible for the distribution and collection of all music. Music will normally be available two weeks prior to the first rehearsal and can be picked up in the library space at 132 Ipswich Street, Room 217. Library hours vary but are clearly posted on the large ensemble board and announcements will be placed on the Choral Board across from Patty Thom's office at the beginning of the week. You must pick up your own music before the first rehearsal. Students will not be allowed to pick up music for another student.

Music Distribution: Students should pick up their music for the Choral ensembles at the Performance Library (132 Ipswich Street, Room 217.) Each student will be assigned a number for their scores.

Music Collection: Music is to be returned no later than three days after the designated return date or immediately after the chorus jury to one of these places: the Performance Library or the Music Division office. If the numbered scores assigned to a student are not returned by the deadline to one of these places, then the student will be fined a $50 replacement fee for each score plus $1/day for each day the music is late (up to $15). If the part is returned:

For non-rental scores that are returned late, the $50 replacement fee will be removed, but the late charges will remain.

Rental scores must be returned by the rental deadline, which is usually three days after the final performance. After that date, the student will be charged the replacement fee of $50 and it will not be reimbursed if/when the score is returned.

For all scores, if the score is damaged in any way (this includes notes written in pen, highlighter, excessive pencil markings such as pictures and notes, torn pages and covers, and water damage) the student will be charged the replacement charge of $50 for each damaged score. Please keep in mind that the Performance Library will not accept any replacement scores bought by students at any time.

Conductor Policy

1. Program Submission DeadlinePrograms should be submitted no later than May 1st for the following school year. Although the Performance Librarian position is now full time, the Performance Librarian does not work during the summer months. Music for the first few concerts should be ordered before the librarian leaves in May. This ensures that the materials will arrive in time for the first day of class. We realize that it is difficult to plan before you have met and heard all your students. If needed, you can change portions of your program within reason, but in order to guarantee that the students have music on the first day of class, we need a program by May 1st.

2. Submitting a ProgramPlease submit your programs in a clear list. Make sure to include the title, composer and, if required, a specific publisher.

The Performance Library is responsible for ordering all music for large ensembles; this includes both rentals and purchases. Rentals require several months to prepare. All large ensemble material is distributed a minimum of two weeks prior to the first rehearsal (which is usually about one month before the performance date). The Performance Library needs rental material to arrive a minimum of two weeks prior to that distribution date so that the staff has time to bow, clean, and photocopy any necessary parts. Publishers recommend that we order rental material 4-6 weeks in advance of our needs to guarantee that the rental we request is available, will arrive on time (especially if shipping from overseas), and will arrive without a rush fee. (Rush fees vary for each publisher but average about $250.) Additionally, publishers vary on what constitutes a rush order, but on average an order must be made a minimum of 10 business days in advance of when the material will need to arrive). As you can see, we need to order rental music at least 3 months ahead of time in order to process it for our ensembles.

The Performance Library is also responsible for ordering all materials for purchase. Depending on the material ordered it takes a similar length of time to order music. Most music takes 2-8 weeks to ship if it is in stock. Anything overseas takes a minimum of two months to guarantee an arrival. Often sets are out of stock and we need to wait for publishers to reprint in order to receive the desired materials. Again, it takes up to 3 months to order and prepare the music for the first day of rehearsal.

If you are requesting a different publisher for works that we already own, the request will have to be approved before the Performance Library is allowed to order it. For rentals, the Performance Librarian will request a rental quote and the quote will need to be approved by Larry Isaacson in the Music Division Office before the rental can be ordered.

Once the materials are ready to be distributed, it is important that castings remain firm. We understand that sometimes things beyond your control will change the castings within that two week time period, but it is difficult to have music already distributed returned and distributed to the new student in a timely manner.

Student Conductor Policy

The Performance Library only supplies music to conducting students for one concert per year, for a total of two concerts over the course of their degree program.

We can supply any music that is currently in our library and in rare cases, order additional music that is for purchase.

We are also sometimes able to acquire rentals, although you will need to follow the guidelines below regarding your financial responsibilities.

We can make any photocopies required, as long as they follow the photocopy policy.

For the first, non-required recital:We prefer that you use materials that are already in our library for this recital. If you choose to use a rental, we will order it for you, but you are responsible for any rental fees. Recitals offered in the first semester must be submitted by May 1; recitals offered during the second semester must be submitted 90 days in advance of the performance date.

For the degree-required recital:We suggest that you use materials that are already in our library. If you would like to purchase or rent additional music, you may do so. To cover some of your expenses, you will receive a stipend from the Dean’s Office which you can use towards rentals, or new materials we do not own. You are responsible for any costs over the stipend. If you are using the conductors orchestra class for your recital, you must submit your program by May 1 with the rest of the material for that class. If you are not using the conductors orchestra class, please follow these deadlines: recitals offered in the first semester must be submitted by May 1; recitals offered during the second semester must be submitted 90 days in advance of the performance date.

The library will not order new, non-rental music for you without permission. In addition, we are not responsible for cleaning your rentals, bowing your orchestral sets or distributing your music to students. It is suggested that you bow masters for us to copy when you need string copies made. Also please remember that we are a non-circulating library, and you are not allowed to borrow orchestral sets outside of the above two recitals.